Preface

Preface

Why is there a need for another book on the Trinity?  There are so many books already published on that subject, why do we need another one?  The purpose of this book is two fold: first, all other books written today are written from a New Testament perspective; this one will be written from an Old Testament perspective exclusively.  Secondly, in addressing the subject of the Trinity (tri-unity) we will interact with the Jewish belief that God is an absolute one and not a tri-unity.  This book will show Christian and Jewish people alike that God did reveal Himself to mankind as a tri-unity, more accurately as a plural unity of one.

In writing this book I realize that many people will understand the terms used, but also some readers will not.  So if you come across a word that you are not familiar with, please look to the footnotes at the bottom of that page.  There will also be a complete word glossary at the end of this book.  It is my desire to have this theological study on the tri-unity from the Old Testament written in a way that the average Christian and Jewish individual can read it with understanding.

This book is written to two audiences and neither is completely familiar with the religious terms that the other uses.  All of the terms will be given from the belief of a true New Testament believer first, terms such as Christ (Messiah), and then the Jewish term Messiah will follow from that point on throughout the book.  Two other examples will illustrate; New Testament believers use the term Old Testament to denote the first 39 books of the Bible.  However, the words Old Testament to describe the Jewish Bible is offensive to the Jewish reader.  It is not only offensive but is also an inaccurate title for that part of the Bible, so we will use two alternating expressions to describe the Old Testament for the Jewish reader, firstTanakh and secondly Hebrew Scriptures.  The Hebrew word Tanakh is an acronym derived from the three-fold division of the Jewish Scriptures; the Law (Torah), the Prophets (Nevi’im) and the Writings (Ketuvim).  The second example is the word Jesus.  Because that name is also offensive to our Jewish audience, His Hebrew name Yeshua will be used in its place.

These two great faiths, Judaism and true New Testament Faith, have many things in common and also many things that are diverse.  The central issue that divides these faiths is the New Testament teachings concerning the person of God known as the Trinity (tri-unity) and Judaism’s teaching that God is an absolute one.  This doctrine impacts many other doctrines where the New Testament believers and Judaism are at opposite ends of their respective belief systems.

There is much confusion and lack of knowledge on both sides.  Christianity does not understand Judaism and Judaism’s belief that God is an absolute one and what has led them to that position.  Nor does Judaism understand Christianity and its belief in the Trinity.  There is much ignorance on both sides and the problem is made worse by their different respective teachings.  Consequently the bias on both sides has added dramatically to the confusion and misunderstanding.  That division has been greatly magnified by the historic persecution of the Jewish people by the “Christian Church.”  So there is a great need to sit down and study the Scriptures as God wrote them through Moses, the Prophets and the New Testament writers such as Paul.  Within Judaism the teachings of the rabbis hold great authority in understanding the Jewish Bible.  Christianity equally has given great importance to the writings of the church fathers.  It is my position that both give too much authority to their rabbis, priests or pastors and scholars.  While some of their insights help us to understand Scripture better, these men are fallible.  The Written Word of God is God’s Word and He alone should hold complete authority.  We should not revere the interpretations of men.  In this book while many rabbinic and New Testament and Christian scholars are referenced, it is God’s Word alone that is lifted up.  I have only used references to other authors because I am unknown in the academic community.

I write this with great love and respect to the Jewish people, who are the most blessed nation on earth with some of the world’s greatest intellects that are consistently rising to the top in almost every field of endeavor whether collectively or individually.  My prayer is that each person individually will carefully investigate the Hebrew Scriptures as God (Ha Shem) wrote them, for He longs to reveal Himself to you.  It is clear that Jewish people have had little historical and theological incentive to personally investigate the Christian “Jesus.”   Unbiblical atrocities that have been committed against Jewish people, in the name of Jesus, for centuries is the cause of their lack of incentive.

Much to my dismay many evangelical and fundamental Christians do not see the tri-unity of God clearly in the Hebrew Scriptures.  They often perform biblical and secular “gymnastics” and discount the inspiration of God’s Word.  They too have often been influenced by humanistic higher criticism that came out of Germany in the 18th century.  I equally discovered that many popular Christian commentaries ineffectively handle the Scriptures as related to the nature of God as well as other doctrinal issues, but especially the tri-unity of God in the Hebrew Scriptures.

Lastly, I acknowledge my limitations as a Hebrew scholar.  With the available contemporary Hebrew helps and computer technologies, I believe that I am completely accurate in this book.  I am not a novice in the Scriptures.  I have greatly appreciated Dr. Robert Spender of Lancaster Bible College and Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum for looking over all my Hebrew words to make sure that I have written them correctly.  I am deeply passionate that this book will be an encouragement to evangelical and fundamental Bible believers to maintain their faith.  The pressures of Christian marketing create more interest in the dollar than in presenting doctrinal purity to the hearts and minds of believers.  I am equally passionate that Jewish people who read this book will discover the God of Israel and that His authority is above all human authority.

I trust that your study of this issue will be edifying and that it will dispel the lack of knowledge on both sides.  I know this is not a novel, which means that it is not a quick read.  But I believe that the insights of the person of God in the Tanakh will be of great benefit to both New Testament believers and Jewish persons who take the time to learn about their God.  May the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob richly bless you in your study.